These Grace Filled Days: Sharing a Love for Art

The supplies bought.

A simple art lesson formed.

Appreciation and exploration intertwined.

A painting put up for all to see.

A few books selected.

Questions ready to ask.

Discussion points to prompt.

Project outlined.

Anticipation mounts.

Children called to join.

A deep breath taken to steady a wildly beating heart.

Will they like it?

Ever since I picked up a crayon at a young age, I have loved to draw. The school I attended offered art classes from sixth grade until graduation. I took almost every one, including print shop with the boys. I learned about art history on my own until college. Then enrolled in several classes. The dull professor with a monotone voice and lengthy lectures did not squelch my passion.

Today, one of my favorite pass times is visiting art museums. Though I could spend many uninterrupted hours gazing upon beautiful paintings and sculptures, there is dinner to be made and lessons to be taught. So, even as a busy homeschool mom, I still make time for art, often through teaching art classes (at home and in co-op settings) and leading field trips to art museums. It is my hope to share my love for art with my children.

Some of my favorite art resources are:

For Art Appreciation ~

I Spy Two Eyes: Numbers In Art, by Lucy Micklethwait

I Spy an Alphabet in Art, by Lucy Micklethwait

A Child's Book of Art, by Lucy Micklethwait

Look Closer: Art Masterpieces Through the Ages, by Caroline Desnoettes

Michelangelo, by Diane Stanley

Leonardo da Vinci, by Diane Stanley

books by Laurence Anholt like Camille and the Sunflowers and The Magical Garden of Claude Monet

The Life and Work of series (each focusing on a particular artist and their work)

How Artists See series, by Colleen Carroll (each book covers a topic like feelings or elements)

Come Look with Me series (each themed like animals, landscapes, and early America)